Sheet-metal end structure for railway-cars.



I. S.-DOWNING.

SHEET METALfiND STRUCTURE FOR RAtLWAY CABS APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1915. 7

1,263,386. P .tented Apr. 23, mm

[NI ZEN TOR.

w A IIIIIIJIIIIII' l IRA S. DOWNING, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T WALTER P. MURPHY, OF.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SHEET-METAL E ND STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

original application filed March 5; 1912, Serial No. 681,784. Divided and this application filed. May 10, 1915.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Apr. 23, 1918.

Serial No. 27,117.

To all whom it-may concern:

Beit known that-I, IRA St'DowNrNc, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Sheet- :Mctal End Structures for Railway-Cars, of

which the following is a specification.

My, invention relates to a sheet metal end structure for railway cars, partlcularly box carsf-in which, because of the nature of the lading, the end walls are subject to destruc- 'tive' inertia thrusts and pressures; and the principal object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal end structure for a railway car which will be light in weight and at the same time capable of withstanding the stresses to which the end of a box car is subjected when in servlce.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal end for a railway box car comprising several panels or sheets of metal which are joined together in such manner that the structure is waterproof. I

A- further object is to provide an end structure having reinforcing ribs running vertically of the end which serve as loadcarrying members, take a part of the roof load as well as'stifi'ening or reinforcing elements for the end structure.

The invention has for a further object to provide a sheet metal car end which may be conveniently and inexpensively manufactured and fitted to a railway-box car of any ordinary type.

The invention ha for a further ob ect such other new and improved constructions,

arrangements and devices relating to sheet metal car ends as will be described and claimed.

The invention is illustrated in the preferred embodiment of the accompanylng drawing in which? Figure 1 is an end elevation of a railway box car provided with a sheet metal end constructed in accordance with my invention. a

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional plan on 'line 22 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 a detailed sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawlng. Referring to the draw ng, the corner posts of the car are-shown at 10, the end sill at 11 and the roof boards at 12, the latter being supported on a ridge pole 13 and purlins 14. i

In the preferred embodiment of my in,- ventlon shown, the end structure consists of three vertically extending panels 15, 16 and 17:. These panels are preferably formed with inturned flanges 18, 19 and 20'at their bottom edges, which flanges are bolted or otherwise ecured to the end sill 11. The

upper edges of the panels are. also prefer-.

ably formed with inturned flanges 21, 22 and 23, which support the purlins' and ridge pole on which the roof boards are laid. The structure is finished at the top of the car by a suitable fascia plate 24.- The panels 15, 17, are formed on their inner vertical edges with out-turned flanges 25 and the edges of the central panel 16 are formed 1 meansfor making a waterproof joint between the panels. It is not practical to make the end of a railway box car of. a single piece of sheet metal. In makin the structure of a plurality of panels it 1s 'of the greatest importance that the panels be so united at their meeting edges as to prevent rain from entering the car. It will be seen that not only do the edges of one panel.

inclose the edges of adjacent panels, but that the inclosing flange are rlveted at frequent intervals to the flanges which they re-" In the third,

spectively inclose. This prevents the seams from opening up even under severe stresses such as cargo thrusts or weaving stresses to which box cars are continually subject when in service for reasons which are well under.- stood.

The panels are further strengthened and rigidified by open ribs or corrugations 29 pressed in the panels in any suitable manner which preferably extend horizontally of the panels-that is, in a direction transverse to the closed or folded ribs 25, 26 The corrugations 29 strengthen the end structure against local thrusts and act as beams transmitting any stresses put upon them to the closed or folded ribs 25, 26 and to the corner post of the ear framing.

If desired, the central panel 16may be formed with a door opening closed by any suitable door, I have shown a sheet metal door 30 whichinoves in guides 31. The door is furnished with a staple 32 adapted to be engaged by 2111001: 33 when the door is raised.

This application is a division of my copending application No. 681,784, filed March 5, 1912. I

I claim:

1. A; sheet metal end structure for railway car's comprising a plurality of sheet metal panels extending from the roof of the car to the floor, one of the meeting edges of adjacent panels having an offset and the other of said edges formed to @verlap said oltset, said edges being secured together whereby a water-proofed connection is provided which forms additionall a vertical rlgldlfying reinforcement for said s -ucture; and transverse reinforcing elements at the upper and lower edges of said end structure which project from the plane adjacent panels being overlapped one upon the other and one of said edges being formed with a rib and secured to said other panel whereby a waterproofed joint is provided which also forins a vertical reinforcement for the end structure extending from the top to the bottom thereof; 2111(l11'zll1s- .verse reinforcing elements at the upper and lower edges of said end structure which project from the plane of said panels and provide means, for attaching the end structure to the framing of the car.

IRA S. DU 'NING;

Vitnesses PETER l B'ICSHANE, VIN'rox E. SISSON. 

